NOTEBOOK | Preakness Stakes

Rivals unite in concern: Rival Preakness jockeys and trainers united in prayers and best wishes for Barbaro, who broke his right hind leg in two places while running in Saturday's race. "Let's just hope Barbaro lives," said Nick Zito, trainer of third-place finisher Hemingway's Key. "These things happen that no one can dream of. That's why I say you have to cherish the moment in racing." The devastating injury tempered the victory celebration in the Bernardini camp. "It's very exciting for everyone, for me especially, to win the Preakness. It's also very, very sad. It's a big disappointment," jockey Javier Castellano said. Winning trainer Tom Albertrani could empathize with Michael Matz, Barbaro's trainer. "I can understand what he's going through right now, being around horses," Albertrani said. "You're always upset when something like that happens." Under normal circumstances, Kent Desormeaux would have enjoyed a Maryland homecoming. He gained national prominence racing at Pimlico and Laurel in the late 1980s, and was second with Sweetnorthernsaint. But this wasn't a day for celebration. "I hate to see what happened to Barbaro and I certainly hope everything is all right," Desormeaux said.
A sweet second: Sweetnorthernsaint rebounded from a disappointing seventh in the Kentucky Derby to run second in the Preakness, He was 51/4 lengths behind Bernardini but six lengths clear of third-place finisher Hemingway's Key. The Illinois Derby winner was second most of the race behind the pacesetting Like Now and moved past that rival turning for home. He could not stay with Bernardini when the winner charged past, but Sweetnorthernsaint was clearly the best of the rest. "Our performance was great," said trainer Michael Trombetta. "Obviously he got a great trip." Sweetnorthernsaint suffered a hoof injury that Trombetta called "a little thing that we'll have to patch up."
A solid effort: Hemingway's Key was a major bust this season until he rallied for third in the Preakness. Zito admitted the colt, owned by George Steinbrenner, was a puzzle he could not solve. Zito suggested the horse might be gelded if he didn't perform better. Hemingway's Key, a 29-1 shot, fended off that drastic action with a strong run through the lane for his first in-the-money finish in five races this season. "I'm very happy because the horse has a high energy threshold," Zito said. Now Zito is considering running Hemingway's Key in the Belmont Stakes on June 10. "You think maybe the Belmont because it's a mile-and-a-half," Zito said. Jeremy Rose, who won last year's Preakness aboard Afleet Alex after avoiding a near-disastrous collision at the top of the stretch, rode Hemingway's Key for the first time in the Preakness. "My horse ran a great race," Rose said. "It set up all right for him."
Associated Press
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